The world is in a state of development similar to the Renaissance era, featuring no magic.

The main focus in the books is on a pair of nations, Tephos and Ferrenis, which were originally modeled on Renaissance-era Germany and France, with the Reysfields, a region on the border of Tephos and Ferrenis, representing the Alsace region between Germany and France. Situated immediately on the border of rival nations Ferrenis and Tephos, Reysfields resembles the real-world Alsace region on the border of France and Germany in the Renaissance era: hotly contested, frequently annexed and reclaimed. As the stories progressed, however, Gold's adherence to the francogermanic metaphor gave way to a more original definition of the nations.

Both Tephos and Ferrenis are nations which adhere to a Gaian religion, each with their own variation. Both emphasize equality among species, which has led to both nations having a very diverse population.

To the south of these two nations, jungle kingdoms inhabited primarily of feline races are mentioned, with arctic kingdoms of foxes and wolves to the north. Neither feature very greatly in Gold's work, which focuses on the more complex societies of Tephos and Ferrenis.